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5 Tips To Decorate Your Shop

Sometimes it’s easy to forget that the quickest way to market your shop is from the sidewalk. Customers are drawn in from the first look of your shop’s front window display and will remember your store from the chic interior. With that creative mind, you can make your shop look as beautiful as your designs with some easy tips! Sherwood Florist from Dayton, Ohio has shared with us 5 great tips for florist on how to make your store enticing for customers!

The Basics

Who is the main shop decorator?
Jessie Wright, Co-owner of Sherwood Florist is the main decorator and display designer in our shop. However, the team at Sherwood all tend to follow suit and put their own spin on certain displays.

How do you get inspired?
My inspiration comes from so many different outlets. The building in which our shop is located is inspiration itself. From the exposed brick to the original hardwood floors and the large open space in general. Social media also plays a huge factor for inspiration. Most of all, I like to find fabulous old pieces that are worn or bound for the trash and reinvent them or group them together for an impact display. Most of our display tables, counters and shelves are all from reclaimed wood and salvage warehouses.

Why is it important for a florist to make their flower shop look nice?
Keeping up with trends and reinventing your space is half the battle, but definitely most important for your brand and will absolutely pay off in the long run. Keeping a clean concise shop is appealing for the eye and will draw customers to want to walk through and browse your space.

Do you have a decorating mantra?
Our decorating mantra is keeping it simple. There is no place in a successful shop for clutter. We find it is good to have a few core display areas and keep the rest of your space simple and clean.

Can you tell us about your focal piece chalkboard wall?
Our chalkboard wall came about when we moved into our new space nearly two years ago. It is a wall that we built to hide our walk-in cooler. It is the first thing that your eye is drawn to as you walk into our shop because it is directly 60 feet across from the front door. So we knew we wanted something on there that was bold and a focal, but not too busy. We decided to paint it with chalkboard paint. Our main design table is right in front of the chalk wall so it just made sense to add a few bar stools at the end of the table so that our clients wait on their design to be created at the “Flower Bar.” Not to mention a few tips for them to help decide what type of arrangement they would like to order.

Sherwood Florist’s Top Decorating Tips

Photos courtesy of Sherwood Florist

1. Keep it Clean!

Anything too busy or cluttered is a turn off to customers.

2. Use What You Have

Your shop is probably filled with items that are just waiting to be reinvented.

3. Keep Up with the Trends

I’m not saying completely redecorate your space with each changing season, but certainly add or update a few core “statement” pieces.

4. Identify Who You Are Trying To Appeal To

For instance, it’s the New Year, which means booking season for weddings. We’ve added a soft hint of gold with a bit of eye-catching bling to a portion of our front window for this season.

5. Step Out of Your Box!

Do something that would never normally do. You will end up surprising yourself!

From Left: Jessie Wright, Co-owner and decorator, and Bev Guy, Co-owner.

From Left: Jessie Wright, Co-owner and decorator, and Bev Guy, Co-owner.

Thank you Sherwood Florist for these great tips! Check back with the Bloomin’ Blog for more great ideas!

Floral Magic For New Year’s Day

Chill Out

The old year is fading away as a new one finally begins to push its way through the soil. All those good things (and maybe a few not so good things) from the last 52 weeks are drawing to a close leaving nothing but opportunity and newness of life ahead. So what’s the best way to celebrate this new dawning? Flowers, of course!

Floral StunnerEarly Spring FlingWinter Dreams

An Explosion of Color

Flowers are infinitely versatile. They are capable of expressing deep emotion, but they can also showcase the life of the party. (And what’s New Year’s Eve without a party?)

So even if you don’t have access to the cool, fire-based fireworks in your area, you can still get an explosion of color with flowers from your local florist. They make a gorgeous display of breathtaking beauty, and the perfect gift for any friend or loved one. (Feel free to provide the sound effects yourself. Pop … zoom … bang!)

Loving Local

As always when buying flowers, you want to head down to your corner flower shop. The folks there not only work hard to bring you the most beautiful arrangements available, the value is sure to be better than anything you’d find online.

And the opportunity to speak with your flower designer and plan your arrangement face-to-face cannot be overstated. You know you’re getting exactly what you want … every time!

This year, before you head to the party, don’t forget to stop by your local florist and pick up some flowers!

Vintage Kitchen Inspired Flower Displays

Vintage Kitchen InspirationIt’s the newest fad – Flowers in Culinary Containers! Kitchen-themed flower art is both inspiring and classic. If your party plans take guests into the kitchen, this flower idea is the perfect addition to your kitchen.

To get that vintage-inspired, natural look, use these items for the foundation of your design:

  • Old colanders
  • Mixing bowls
  • Mason jars and ceramic jugs
  • Vintage tin cans
  • Muffin pans.

Find these items at local thrift or second hand stores. The older the better; these items can bring a special childhood nostalgia to life.

Kitchen-themed Flower Ideas

When choosing flowers, simplicity is key –

  • Choose garden flowers, such as peonies, garden roses, liatris, sunflowers, lilies, and delphiniums.
  • Include fruits and veggies, such as artichokes, apples, and eggplant for a natural, timeless ‘Farmers Market’ feel.
  • Interesting foliages add texture and eye-catching designs to your arrangement. Think long bear grass or wheat.

Fruits and vegetables are a great way to bring depth and creativity to a clear vase as well. Fill your vase or clear jugs with apples, oranges, carrots, cranberries, cucumbers or any bright colored vegetable or fruit.  Just imagine guests walking through the kitchen buffet spread, all the while mesmerized by your amazing kitchen flower arrangement. These displays are perfect for bringing an interesting impact to any event!

If you’re interested in adding a vintage kitchen flower arrangement to your next party mix, give your local florist a call. I’m sure they will have even more exciting ideas!

Entertain Your Guests With Beautiful Floral Decorations

A beautiful arrangement placed on your kitchen table is simply stunning for your everyday life, but what if you’re hosting a dinner party? There is a variety of unique ideas that you can use flowers to compliment your party. Here are a few tips and ideas to make your dinner party absolutely amazing with flowers!

Use Flowers For Fabulous Table Decor

Beautiful Floral Centerpiece

Beautiful Floral Centerpiece

First thing’s first, what is the style of your party? Are you planning a themed party? Is it more casual, elegant or a true, fine dining affair? Once you’ve figured that out, go to your local florist and they will help you with what flowers are in season. Then, you can get creative by mixing and matching the flowers and creating a beautiful color palette.

Beautiful Centerpiece: Of course, you can do the traditional floral centerpiece in the middle of your table. A more elegant feel can be created with a larger centerpiece, while a more casual dinner party would have a smaller centerpiece.When thinking about your table centerpiece, keep your dinner style in mind. Plus, a centerpiece is something you’ll be able to enjoy for days to come and keep you reminded of what a great night you shared with close friends and family.

Party Place Card Holder

Party Place Card Holder

Place Settings: Think of individual place settings using flowers. A simple flower in a small vase, glass or teacup would be ideal. Just attach a tag with your guest’s name on it and they’ll know exactly where to sit. A bonus is that you can send beautiful flowers home with your guests as a thank you for coming gift. They’ll have something to take home and continue to enjoy your fabulous party. Floral place settings are a great personal touch that lets your guests know you’re thinking of them.

Table Runner: Want to create something unique? Instead of a floral centerpiece that can sometimes block conversation, focus on a floral table runner. Your expert florist will have tons of ideas for this arrangement. Picture beautiful flowers running across your table. They’ll make for a great conversation starter as well as be a visual treat. Think garland or branches, and then place your flowers along them with beautiful ribbon as an accent. You can also place small tea light candles around the floral table runner for a more elegant feel. Your table setting will set the style and theme of your great dinner party!

Tying It All Together

Easy Floral Design For Parties

Easy Floral Design For Parties

A beautiful table scape is the ideal place to set your flowers, but don’t forget to place them around the house in other rooms. This helps tie your style and theme altogether. Plus, it adds nice fragrances and creates beautiful focal points. Welcome your guests at your front door with a beautiful flower arrangement as soon as they walk in. It’s a great personal touch and helps your friends feel welcomed.

Set a smaller vase out in your living room or create an arrangement for your fireplace. This may seem like a lot, but remember it ties it altogether and can be used to create a beautiful home decor setting, especially around the holidays. One place, you may not think to place a small bud vase is the restroom. Again, powder room arrangements add that personal touch and ties your dinner party altogether. Simple floral arrangements also add a sense of style.

These are just helpful tips on how you can use basic floral arrangements to create an elegant setting for your next dinner party. Table arrangements, place settings and beautiful flowers around the house are great personal touches that will provide a beautiful setting and make it feel more personable for your guests. Remember, using these floral decoration ideas for your next dinner party is great, but using these all year round will have your house looking simply stunning.

Contact your local florist and ask about flowers for entertaining. Decorating your home is their specialty and they might have even more great ideas not mentioned here! Even if you are a DIYer, your florist will have a great selection of fresh flowers to work with.

This post is brought to you by local St. Louis MO florists.
No where near St. Louis? Not a problem, use Flower Shop Network’s handy directory of florists to find a local florist near you!

A Very Merry FSN Christmas!

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If you’ve followed FSN on Twitter or Facebook you should know one thing – the people of Flower Shop Network like to PARTY!

Maybe it’s one of our 5 trees, and 40 different stockings? Or it could just be the giant disco ball we have over all the offices? Whatever it is, I am glad this is my work home. It really feels like a family here and I think that’s why I love it so much! The Christmas lights all throughout the building give the entire atmosphere a festive glow you can only find during the holidays, and if I can’t be at home I am really glad I am here. I’m sure you will see it to when you take a look at these photos!

Find more FSN Christmas pictures in our Facebook Album.

Balloon Bouquets

Balloon bouquets lift spirits and are perfect for special occasions. Florists across America have balloons available in a huge variety of shapes, sizes, colors and themes. They can be added to an arrangement of flowers or plants, delivered in a big bundle all by themselves, or used to enhance any festive event. Colorful birthday balloons add bounce to the celebration. Shiny Mylar balloons elevate the mood of any party. Balloons are being used as decorations for weddings, gifts for retirees, get well messages for patients, and whimsical treats for kids and adults alike. They are even soaring to new heights at celebrations of life – otherwise known as funerals.

Types of Balloons

Valentines Day Mylar BalloonBalloons are generally available in two types – the traditional latex balloons, which are made of a thin, stretchy kind of rubber, and the popular Mylar balloons, manufactured of metalized film. Each type of balloon has its own unique attributes, comes in many sizes, and can be used in several ways.

  • Latex Balloons

Because latex is somewhat porous, balloons that are made from it will not stay inflated as long as Mylar balloons. Latex balloons may be inflated with either air or helium. Because a molecule of oxygen is larger than a molecule of helium, air-filled balloons will stay inflated longer than helium balloons will, since the larger molecules do not pass through the balloon’s “skin” as easily. But air-filled balloons, of course, don’t float. Many florists use a special product – something like rubber cement – to coat the inside of a latex balloon before inflating it with helium. This helps seal the pores in the latex and keeps the balloon afloat longer. Still, latex balloons are best for short term display.

Recently, event specialists have found an exciting and dramatic way to use them, putting battery operated lights inside giant-sized balloons and floating them over nighttime outdoor parties. The luminous effect can be spectacular!

  • Mylar Balloons

The special, reflective film which is used to make Mylar balloons isn’t as porous as latex, so these balloons tend to last longer after inflation, and because they’re not as flexible, less pressure is exerted on the walls of a Mylar balloon. Mylar balloons have another advantage in that they can often be re-filled with either air or helium, extending the life span. Once filled, however, Mylar balloons should be kept away from too much heat or sunlight, which can cause the gas inside to expand and burst the balloon. Your professional florist stocks Mylar balloons in a wide assortment of novelty shapes and characters, suitable for any age or occasion.

Balloon Ideas

Air-filled balloons can be secured into a floral arrangement using special balloon picks. They can also be tied tightly together onto a length of monofilament (fishing line) to create columns or arches – popular props for decorating a special event. Helium balloons can be readily tied to the neck of a vase, the handle of a basket, or a bag of candy.

For a children’s birthday party, a clever “Gumball Machine” balloon can be created by stuffing three or four small, air-filled latex balloons of various colors inside a large, helium-filled, clear latex balloon. Everyone will wonder how those “gumball” balloons got inside that bigger one! The trick is to insert the small (5″) balloon into the neck of the large (14″) balloon before inflating either one. Holding the small balloon in place, the large balloon is then partially inflated with helium. Before the gas has a chance to escape, the small balloon is filled with air, tied off, and dropped into the larger one. The process is repeated until the desired number of “gumballs” is squeezed inside the bigger balloon, which is then fully inflated with more helium.

Most florists can assemble a combination of latex and Mylar balloons into festive balloon bouquets and arrange for delivery anywhere, either locally or out of town.

  • Balloons & Hospital Rules

Most hospitals have special rules regarding balloon delivery. They may limit the size or number of balloons that can be delivered at one time. Mylar balloons may be restricted from patients’ rooms due to the fact that they can generate static electricity which interferes with the functioning of electronic monitors. Your local florist can advise you about the hospital rules in your area.

  • Balloon Disposal

Please remember to dispose of balloons responsibly and avoid releasing them into the environment. They can be very hazardous to wildlife that might ingest them or become entangled in the ribbons or strings used to tie them.

Now is not the time to fight inflation…..send a buoyant balloon bouquet today!

Interior Decorating Ideas with Flowers

Flowers and plants, naturally enough, bring a sense of warmth and vitality to any interior decorating plan. People respond positively to the energy that flowers and plants emanate. Even silk flowers, or permanent botanicals as they are more properly called, can add life to a room if they closely resemble their living counterparts. A room devoid of flowers is sterile and dull, even uninviting. But just a few well-placed blossoms or a handful of green foliage can do wonders for the personality of any interior space.

Good as Gold Flower Arrangement

Flowers For The Entryway

The first place to start is at the entry, where visitors may be greeted by a bouquet of cheerful flowers placed on a credenza in the foyer. It makes no difference whether the arrangement is simple or elaborate; the message is the same: “welcome.” Other interior decorating ideas for the entry include placing vines of artificial ivy over a mirror, or flanking the doorway with wall sconces overflowing with foliage. Of course, the entry experience begins outside the front door, where a seasonal wreath or a floral swag creates an inviting statement.

Choosing Flowers For The Home

Within the interior of the house, use flowers to adorn the coffee table, dining room table, or end tables. Choose colors which complement the decorating scheme of the room. However, don’t be locked into the idea that the colors of the flowers must match those of the upholstery or draperies, especially if they are colors which do not normally occur in nature. Permanent flowers will always be more pleasing, and they will never go out of style, if they are realistic and botanically accurate. For example, you’ve never seen a turquoise rose growing in a garden. Placing one in your living room would seem contrived and unnatural, and you would soon tire of it even if your sofa was that color. Better to use a flower in a peach or coral hue, which is the direct chromatic complement to turquoise and a naturally occurring color for roses. Choosing the complementary hue allows the flowers to stand out as a lovely accent to highlight the room.

Using Garland & Greenery Effectively

Use cascading vines for decorating the top of a bookcase or an armoire; they’ll soften the angular edges of the furniture. A garland of magnolia foliage lends grace and elegance to a mantle. A free-standing houseplant brightens a dark corner. The breakfast table is brightened with a sunny bouquet of daisies.

A novel interior decorating idea is to tie a bunch of realistic permanent flowers into a casual bouquet, using a distinctive, wire-edged ribbon. Choose flowers with natural looking stems and foliage. Arrange the flowers so that the bouquet is flat on the back. Tie the bow with long, flouncy streamers, and place the bouquet on the edge of a table or dresser for a spontaneous and understated look.

Your local professional florist has lots of other ideas for interior decorating with flowers. Stop in for a visit today, and bring samples of colors, fabrics, and wall coverings from your rooms, so that your floral designs can be artistically customized to your living environment. And remember… no turquoise roses!